Supporting means for car doors



0 1933. w A. BEAUCHAMP SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CAR DOORS Filed April 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 31, 1933. w. A. BEAUCHAMP 1,933,090

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CAR DOORS Filed April 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I I I I I :-f-r- -f/v I/E/V TOE- MAP/EEO H EEQUcH/ IMP Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES SUPPORTING-.MEANS FOR OAR nooas Wilfred A. Beauchamp, Chicago, 111., assignor to Camel Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 10, 1931. SerialNo. 529,232

12 Claims.

This invention relates to means for supporting doors for sliding movement In supporting doors for sliding movement upon a track it has been customary in the past to provide rolling supporting means carriedby the doors and movable therewith or to employ rolling supporting means having movement relative to the doors during the travel thereof. In the former instancethe continual pounding of the door upon the rolling means resulted in the rapid deterioration thereof and where axles or pins and bushings were embodied in such rolling means deterioration of said pins and bushings as well. In the latter case the rolling means were usually connected so that they were constrained to move as a unit and adjacent the end of the travel of the door toward open or closed positiona sliding movement between the rolling means and the track occurred. The wear on the rolling means because of the pounding of the doors was not materially lessened and'the sliding action of said means on the track greatly vitiated the life thereof.

This invention, therefore, has for an object the elimination of the defects of the prior structures referred to and the utilization of a simple and efficacious structure for this purpose.

It is an object .to provide supporting means for sliding doors whereby said doors may be moved with great ease. i

A further object of the provision of supporting means for sliding doors arranged with respect to such doors so that localization of wear on said means is substantially obviated.

Another object is the provision of supporting means for sliding doors having movement relative tosaid doors during the greaterpart of the travel thereof and having movement with said doors during the remainder of said travel said 4o meanshaving rolling engagement with a fixed track throughout the entire travel of the doors.

A further object is the provision of, rolling means for sliding doors adapted to have independent movement relative to said doors.

Another object isthe provision of rollers'carrying pins adapted to rotate relative thereto whereby said doors are adapted to be supported upon said'rollers for a part of their travel and upon said pins for another part of their travel;

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means for sliding doors, including rolling means provided with pins whereby movement of the door during jtransit will transfer the weight thereof from the pins to the rolling means. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide supporting means for sliding doors, including a trackway carried by the door and rollers, the trackway serving to maintain said rollers in proper alignment relative thereto.

A further object is the provision-of a brake. mechanism-which will impede sliding movement of the doors when such movement is not desired.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, disclosing a preferred embodiment thereof.

In said drawings 7 Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a car door having the preferred embodiment of the invention applied thereto, and showing the door in dot and dash lines in partly opened position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation partly in section of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1. r I Referring to the drawings, in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is illustrated a door 10-adapted to be supported for sliding movement upon a track 11 positioned, preferably, adjacent the lower portion of the door. The track 11 is adapted tobe supported upon the car by means of a plurality of brackets 12, one of which is indicated in each of Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings. There is provided, for use with the door, a startingand closing mechanismdesignated in itsentirety by the numeral 13. A lockingand sealing arrangement indicated as awhole by the numeral 14 is also adapted for use with the door.

In order to support the door for movement upon the track 11a plate member 16 provided with an outwardly directed flange 17 is secured to thebottom of the door. This plate member cooperates with a substantially Z-shaped member 18, se-

cured to the bottom of the door and provided with an inwardly directed flange 19 in alignment with the flange 17, to provide a substantially channelshaped trackway 15 for'each of the door supporting rollers. A plurality of members 21, preferably in the form of castings, are secured to the member 18 by means of rivets 20. Thesemembers 21 as clearly shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5,

cured thereto.

comprise a substantially channel-shaped body portion 22 from which extends a plurality of flanges 2323, these flanges in the form of the member disclosed being spaced apart. It is noted that the members 21 are open at their bottom portions and that they conform substantially to the contour of each trackway 15 and provide, therefore, reinforcements tending to prevent crushing of said trackway.

Positioned within said trackways in engagement with the track 11 is a plurality of rollers 24-24. These rollers are adapted to be confined between cooperating pairs of members 21. Each roller carries a pin 25 rotatably mounted therein and between said pin and the roller a bushing 26 is provided. As clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the pin extends beyond either side of the roller to such an extent that the ends thereof are in alignment with the flanges 23 provided on the castings 21.

As illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings adjacent castings 21 are spaced apart. Within this space a brake shoe 27 is mounted, the bottom surface of which is preferably knurled as indicated at 28 to increase the friction thereof. Extending upwardly from said shoe substantially centrally thereof is a post 29 which is adapted to be secured to the forked end 30 of an operating lever 31. The operating lever is pivotally supported on the door by means of a bracket 32 se- Extending upwardly from the brake shoe 27 adjacent each end thereof is a lug 33 serving to equalize the pressure of the helical spring 34 surrounding the post 29 and engaging the underside of the member 18 and the top of the brake shoe. It is apparent that the spring 34 will maintain pressure against the brake shoe so as to force it into frictional engagement with the track 11. It will be seen, with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings, that the flange portions 1'7 and 19 formed on the plate member 16 and the Z-shaped member 18 are cut away intermediate the adjacent members 21 so as to facilitate positioning of the brake shoe within said member.

The operation of the structure described will be apparent from the foregoing description and from the drawings. When the door is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 4 it is apparent that the flanges 23 of the member 21 are in engagement with and supported upon the pins 25 of the rollers and that, further, each roller is out of engagement with its trackway. This engagement between the flanges 21 and the pins 25 of the rollers is facilitated by the inclined portions 85 of said flanges. It is further apparent that because of these inclined portions of the flanges the rollers will not remain in such position that engagement between the flanges 23 and the pins will be maintained under the vertical movement to which the door is subjected in transit. As a consequence of this fact the rollers will soon move from their positions indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, so that the -door will be supported upon the rollers. Such support of the door upon the rollers, together with the fact that the rollers are mounted independently of each other will evidently result in a distribution of the wear upon the rollers. The avoidance in this manner of localization of wear upon the rollers obviously prevents the formation offlat spots 'upon the rollers. During the major portion of the movement of the door toward open or closed position the door is supported upon the rollers so that such movement is. readily effected. In order to accomplish this movement it is, of course,

necessary for the operator to grasp the lever 31 and depress the free end thereof. In turn that end of the lever which is connected to the brake shoe 27 will be elevated and the frictional resistance of the brake shoe upon the track will be relieved. The door may, of course, be moved by means of the lever. When the door has reached any desired position it is only necessary to releasethe lever 31 whereupon, under the urge of the spring 34, the brake shoe 2'7 will again establish frictional engagement between it and the track. As the door, in its normal movement, approaches open or closed position it is clear that the support of the door will be shifted from the rollers to the pins. This shifting of the application of the load of the door to the pins acts to retard the momentum thereof. When the pins have reached the position shown for example in Figure 2 of the drawings no further relative movement between the roller and the door is permitted and from this point until the door is fully opened or fully closed the roller moves with the door. It is manifest that with the door being supported in the main upon the rollers, very little wear of the pins and the bushings occurs. It is believed to be also apparent that by means of the inturned flanges l7 and 19 provided on the plate 16 and member 18, respectively the rollers are centered so that interference between said rollers and any of the flanges on the member 21 is avoided. It is also clear, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 that the inturned flanges 1'7 and 19 lie in overlapping relationship with the extending ends of the pins 25. By this construction all danger of losing the rollers from the trackways is avoided and the rollers and pins may be assembled with said trackways as a unit. With reference to the members 21 it has been pointed out hereinbefore that said members are open at their bottoms, thus permitting easy removal and replacement of said members in said trackway without the necessity of removing the door from the car side.

- While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated, it is clear that numerous changes in the details illustrated may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is apparent that any type of brake mechanism suitable for the purpose intended may be utilized in place of that illustrated. It is intended that this invention cover all such changes and that it be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a house car, the combination with a door and a track secured to said car for sustaining the weight of said door, of means supporting said door for movement upon said track, said means comprising a trackway carried by said door, a plurality of rollers positioned in said trackway and relatively rotatable pins extending through said rollers, said rollers having rolling engagement with said track during the entire movement of said door, said trackway having rolling engagement with said rollers for a portion of the door movement and engagement with said pins for the remainder of said movement.

2. In supporting means for sliding doors, in combination, a substantially channel-shaped trackway carried by said door, rollers seated in said trackway and having peripheral rolling engagement therewith, a pin loosely mounted in each of said rollers and means provided on said trackway and having overlapping relationship with said pins for the purpose set forth.

3. In a supporting means for a sliding car door, in combination, a trackway secured to said door, a roller positioned in said trackway, a pin loosely supported in said roller, a plurality of members secured to said trackway, said trackway adapted to support said door for relative movement upon said roller for a portion of the travel of the door and said members adapted to support said door upon said pin for a portion of the movement of the door.

4. In supporting means for a sliding car door, in combination, a trackway secured to said door, a roller positioned in said trackway, a pin rotatably mounted in said roller and extending beyond the sides thereof, a plurality of castings secured to said trackway and provided with flanges directed toward each other, said trackway adapted to support said door for relative movement upon said roller for a portion of the travel of the door and said flanges adapted to support said door upon the extensions of said pin for movement with said roller for another portion of the travel of the door.

5. In supporting means for a sliding door, in combination, a trackway carried by said door, a plurality of pairs of members secured to said trackway, a roller positioned in said trackway between each pair of members, a pin rotatably mounted in each roller, portions of said members adapted to have engagement with said pins to support the door thereon for a part of its travel, said portions having inclined surfaces to facilitate engagement with said pins.

6. In supporting means for a sliding door, in combination, a trackway carried by said door, a plurality of pairs of members secured to said trackway, a roller positioned in said trackway between each pair of members, a pin rotatably mounted in each roller, said trackway adapted to ride upon said rollers for a portion of the travel of the door, portions of said members adapted to have engagement with said pins to support the door thereon for a part of its travel, said portions having inclined surfaces to facilitate engagement with said pins during the travel of the door thereon and to permit disengagement of said pins and support of the door upon the rollers when the door is in open or closed position.

7. Supporting means for a sliding car door, comprising, in combination, a trackway secured to said door, a plurality of pairs of members fastened to said trackway, a roller positioned in said trackway between each pair of members, said rollers having independent movement relative to each other, a pin rotatably mounted in each roller, said trackway adapted to ride upon said rollers for a portion of the travel of the door and said members adapted to ride upon said pins for a portion of the travel of the door.

in combination, a substantially channel shaped trackway secured to said door, a roller positioned in said trackway, a pin loosely supported in said roller, a plurality of substantially channel shaped members secured to said trackway with their webs abutting the web of said trackway, said trackway adapted to support said door for relative movement upon said roller for a portion of the travel of the door and said members adapted to support said door upon said pin for a portion of the travel of the door.

10. In supporting means for sliding doors, in combination, a substantially channel shaped trackway carried by said door, rollers seated in said trackway and having peripheral rolling engagement therewith, said rollers having .independent movement relative to each other, a pin loosely mounted in each of said rollers and means provided on said trackway having overlapping relationship with said pins for the purpose set forth.

11. As an article of manufacture, supporting and retarding means for a sliding car door, comprising in combination, a substantially channel shaped trackway adapted to be secured to said door, a plurality of rollers positioned in said trackway for peripheral engagement therewith, pins rotatably mounted in said rollers, said trackway having inturned flanges overlapped by the ends of said pins to retain said rollers in said trackway and retarding means carried in said trackway, a portion of said inturned flangesbeing cut away to permit insertion of said means in said trackway.

12. In supporting means for a sliding car door, in combination, a plurality of rollers for supporting said door for sliding movement upon a track means secured to said door providing a trackway for each of said rollers, a pin rotatably supported in each of said rollers, each roller adapted to have peripheral engagement with its trackway to support said door for a part of its travel, the pin of each roller adapted to have engagement with its trackwayto support said door for a part of the travel thereof.

, WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP. 

